Chiefs advance to regional tournament
Moses Lake junior starting pitcher Karly Stoltman throws a pitch.
RICHLAND, Wash. — The Moses Lake Chiefs softball team avoided postseason elimination Saturday afternoon with a 4-0 victory over Columbia Basin Big Nine rival Pasco at Richland High School.
The Chiefs continued to struggle offensively Saturday when Pasco held Columbia Division co-champion Moses Lake to just two hits in the contest.
However, the Chiefs made the most of their two hits, scoring a pair of runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings to eliminate the Bulldogs, Moses Lake head coach Dave Gregory said.
“I thought we played really well,” he said of his team’s overall performance.
Moses Lake starting pitcher Karly Stoltman rebounded from a loss to Eastmont Thursday to hold Pasco to just four hits as the junior recorded the shutout. Stoltman struck out 13 Bulldogs in the victory, Gregory said.
“Karly pitched two great games,” he said.
With the win over Pasco, the Chiefs clinched a trip to the regional tournament heading into their second game of the afternoon with the Richland Bombers, Gregory said.
“It feels great,” of his team’s impending trip to regionals. “That was on of our goals all year.”
Richland scored twice in the top of the first inning to jump on the Chiefs early, but the Chiefs responded. Moses Lake scored a run in the bottom of the first to pull within 2-1.
Stoltman dominated the final six innings of the contest, striking out 10 Bombers, and the Chiefs scored four runs in the fourth to knock off Richland 5-2, setting up a another match up with the Eastmont Wildcats.
For the second time in three days, Eastmont capitalized on a big second inning against Moses Lake, and the Chiefs dropped their fourth straight contest to the Wildcats.
Gregory said his team was tired heading into Saturday’s game with Eastmont.
“We were drained in that last game,” he said. “The Eastmont coach asked if we wanted to flip a coin.”
Eastmont held the Chiefs to just three hits on their way to a 13-2 victory.
Moses Lake will travel to Kiwanis Park in Yakima, Wash., this weekend to participate in the 4A regional softball tournament. The Chiefs will take on Central Valley of Spokane Friday night at 6 p.m.